1. Field of Invention
This invention relates generally to bolt action rifles and, more specifically, to a bolt action rifle having improved functionality with respect to the bolt, receiver, trigger, and magazine components thereof.
2. Description of the Related Art
Rifles of the bolt action variety are well known. In a bolt action rifle, bullets are fed into the receiver, typically from a magazine, and by manipulation of a bolt handle are driven forward by a bolt into the chamber. After firing, the bolt is retracted and the spent casing is ejected.
There are a number of deficiencies associated with prior art bolt action rifles, however. For example, prior art bolt action rifles typically having locking lugs positioned on the bolt. These act to maintain the bolt in position during firing, and are required because of the breech pressure generated when a bullet is fired. However, prior art locking lugs can cause interference and binding during sliding of the bolt.
In addition, in a typical bolt-action rifle, the magazine or cartridge feed is accomplished behind the receiver ring. The front of the cartridge must then feed forward from behind the receiver ring into the chamber. This requires, in turn, a relatively long feed ramp which will direct the cartridge from the magazine into the chamber. The distance which the cartridge must traverse on the way to the chamber provides potential areas for cartridge jams or malfunctions.
Still further, the magazines on prior art bolt action rifles are typically releasable by the depression of a magazine release button found on one side of the magazine. However, the placement of the magazine release button may be inconvenient for certain users, including for example left-handed users. Moreover, even following depression of a magazine release, it can be difficult for the user to securely grasp and remove the magazine from its housing.
Trigger mechanisms on prior art bolt action rifles also suffer from deficiencies. For example, certain trigger components are pivoting, and these typically pivot about a pin that is inserted through the trigger housing and the pivoting part itself. These pins can be subject to loosening, shifting, or breaking as a result of use.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,920,677, issued to applicant herein and incorporated herein by reference, represents an effort to addresses some, though not all, of these issues.
A need therefore existed for a bolt action rifle having improved functionality in the areas of bolt, receiver, trigger, and magazine design. The present invention satisfies these needs and provides other, related, advantages.
It is an object of the present invention to provide an improved bolt action rifle.
It is a further object of the present invention to provide a bolt action rifle having improved locking lugs.
It is a yet further object of the present invention to provide a bolt action rifle having locking lugs that are less subject to binding and interference than prior art locking lugs.
It is a still further object of the present invention to provide a bolt handle that resists unintended downward movement when the bolt is in the open position.
It is a further object of the present invention to provide a bolt handle that resists unintended upward movement when the bolt is in the closed position.
It is another object of the present invention to provide a bolt action rifle having a split receiver ring, permitting the elimination of a cartridge feed ramp and shortening bolt travel from front to rear.
It is a further object of the present invention to provide a bolt action rifle having an ambidextrous magazine release.
It is another object of the present invention to provide a bolt action rifle having an improved trigger assembly, eliminating the need for pivot pins.
In accordance with one embodiment of the present invention, an improved bolt action rifle is disclosed. The improved bolt action rifle comprises, in combination: a stock; a receiver mounted in the stock; a trigger assembly mounted in the receiver; a receiver ring located at a forward end of the receiver; a barrel located at a forward end of the receiver ring; a bolt enclosed within the receiver and the receiver ring and adapted to travel forward and rearward within the receiver and the receiver ring; wherein the bolt further comprises an inner bolt sleeve and an outer bolt sleeve surrounding the inner bolt sleeve; at least one locking lug slot located within the inner bolt sleeve; wherein the locking lug slot is concave; at least one locking lug having an upper portion and a lower projection wherein the upper portion is dimensioned to be retained within a cavity in the outer bolt sleeve and wherein the lower projection is dimensioned to be mounted within the locking lug slot; wherein the lower projection is convex; wherein the upper portion is dimensioned to contact a mating recessed area within the receiver ring during axial movement of the inner bolt sleeve relative to the outer bolt sleeve.
In accordance with another embodiment of the present invention, an improved bolt action rifle is disclosed. The improved bolt action rifle comprises, in combination: a stock; a receiver mounted in the stock; a trigger assembly mounted in the receiver; a receiver ring located at a forward end of the receiver; a barrel located at a forward end of the receiver ring; a bolt enclosed within the receiver and the receiver ring and adapted to travel forward and rearward within the receiver and the receiver ring; wherein the bolt further comprises an inner bolt sleeve and an outer bolt sleeve surrounding the inner bolt sleeve; at least one locking lug slot located within the inner bolt sleeve; at least one locking lug having an upper portion and a lower projection wherein the upper portion is dimensioned to be retained within a cavity in the outer bolt sleeve and wherein the lower projection is dimensioned to be mounted within the locking lug slot; wherein the upper portion is dimensioned to contact a mating recessed area within the receiver ring during axial movement of the inner bolt sleeve relative to the outer bolt sleeve; and means for preventing full forward movement of the bolt within the receiver and the receiver ring when the upper portion of the at least one locking lug is not present within the cavity in the outer bolt sleeve.
In accordance with another embodiment of the present invention, an improved bolt action rifle is disclosed. The bolt action rifle comprises, in combination: a stock; a receiver mounted in the stock; a trigger assembly mounted in the receiver; a receiver ring located at a forward end of the receiver; a barrel located at a forward end of the receiver ring; a bolt enclosed within the receiver and the receiver ring and adapted to travel forward and rearward within the receiver and the receiver ring; a first cut-out area in a side portion of the receiver ring; wherein the first cut-out area is dimensioned and positioned to permit the ejection of a cartridge therethrough; a second cut-out area in a bottom portion of the receiver ring; wherein the second cut-out area is dimensioned and positioned to permit the feeding of a new cartridge from a magazine therebelow.
In accordance with yet another embodiment of the present invention, an improved bolt action rifle is disclosed. The improved bolt action rifle comprises, in combination: a stock; a receiver mounted in the stock; a trigger assembly mounted in the receiver; a receiver ring located at a forward end of the receiver; a barrel located at a forward end of the receiver ring; a bolt enclosed within the receiver and the receiver ring and adapted to travel forward and rearward within the receiver and the receiver ring; a bolt handle collar positioned on the bolt; a bolt handle projecting outward from the bolt handle collar to be grasped by a user seeking to cause one of forward and rearward movement of the bolt within the receiver and the receiver ring; and means for locking the bolt handle in an upward position so that the bolt handle will not contact a rearward portion of the receiver during forward movement of the bolt and for unlocking the bolt handle from the upward position after the bolt handle has cleared the rearward position of the receiver.
In accordance with still another embodiment of the present invention, an improved bolt action rifle is disclosed. The improved bolt action rifle comprises, in combination: a stock; a receiver mounted in the stock; a bolt handle opening in the stock; a trigger assembly mounted in the receiver; a receiver ring located at a forward end of the receiver; a barrel located at a forward end of the receiver ring; a bolt enclosed within the receiver and the receiver ring and adapted to travel forward and rearward within the receiver and the receiver ring; a bolt handle collar positioned on the bolt; a bolt handle projecting outward from the bolt handle collar to be grasped by a user seeking to cause one of forward and rearward movement of the bolt within the receiver and the receiver ring and adapted to be received within the bolt handle opening in the stock when the bolt handle is rotated downward so as to lock the bolt in a firing position; and means for holding the bolt handle in a downward firing position within the bolt handle opening.
In accordance with yet another embodiment of the present invention, an improved bolt action rifle is disclosed. The improved bolt action rifle comprises, in combination: a stock; a receiver mounted in the stock; a bolt handle opening in the stock; a trigger assembly mounted in the receiver; a receiver ring located at a forward end of the receiver; a barrel located at a forward end of the receiver ring; a bolt enclosed within the receiver and the receiver ring and adapted to travel forward and rearward within the receiver and the receiver ring; wherein the bolt further comprises an inner bolt sleeve and an outer bolt sleeve surrounding the inner bolt sleeve; wherein the bolt further comprises a rear bolt sleeve threadably coupled to the outer bolt sleeve; and bolt sleeve locking means for locking the rear bolt sleeve to the outer bolt sleeve.
In accordance with still another embodiment of the present invention, an improved firearm is disclosed. The improved firearm comprises, in combination: a frame; a trigger assembly mounted in the frame; a chamber; a magazine coupled to the frame and adapted to feed a cartridge into the chamber for firing; and means for releasing the magazine from the frame; wherein the releasing means comprises a first button projecting from a first side of the frame and a second button projecting from a second side of the frame and wherein depression of either of the first and the second button permits detachment of the magazine from the frame.
In accordance with another embodiment of the present invention, an improved firearm is disclosed. The improved firearm comprises, in combination: a frame; and a trigger assembly mounted in the frame; wherein the trigger assembly comprises: a first plate; a second plate positioned opposite the first plate; a first pivot point about which pivots a trigger sear; a second pivot point about which pivots a trigger piece; a third pivot point about which pivots a safety pawl; wherein each of the first pivot point, the second pivot point and the third pivot point comprises a stud projecting from each side of the trigger sear, the trigger piece, and the safety pawl and dimensioned to be inserted into mating openings in the first plate and the second plate.
In accordance with another embodiment of the present invention, an improved bolt action rifle is disclosed. The improved bolt action rifle comprises, in combination: a stock; a receiver mounted in the stock; a bolt handle opening in the stock; a trigger assembly mounted in the receiver; wherein the trigger assembly comprises: a first plate; a second plate positioned opposite the first plate; a first pivot point about which pivots a trigger sear; a second pivot point about which pivots a trigger piece; a third pivot point about which pivots a safety pawl; wherein each of the first pivot point, the second pivot point and the third pivot point comprises a stud projecting from each side of the trigger sear, the trigger piece, and the safety pawl and dimensioned to be inserted into mating openings in the first plate and the second plate; a magazine insertable into a housing located in the stock and adapted to feed a cartridge into the receiver for firing; means for releasing the magazine from the housing; wherein the releasing means comprises a first button projecting from a first side of the housing and a second button projecting from a second side of the housing and wherein depression of either of the first and the second button permits detachment of the magazine from the housing; a receiver ring located at a forward end of the receiver; a first cut-out area in a side portion of the receiver ring; wherein the first cut-out area is dimensioned and positioned to permit the ejection of a cartridge therethrough; a second cut-out area in a bottom portion of the receiver ring; wherein the second cut-out area is dimensioned and positioned to permit the feeding of a new cartridge from a magazine therebelow; a barrel located at a forward end of the receiver ring; a bolt enclosed within the receiver and the receiver ring and adapted to travel forward and rearward within the receiver and the receiver ring; wherein the bolt further comprises an inner bolt sleeve and an outer bolt sleeve surrounding the inner bolt sleeve; wherein the bolt further comprises a rear bolt sleeve threadably coupled to the outer bolt sleeve; bolt sleeve locking means for locking the rear bolt sleeve to the outer bolt sleeve; a bolt handle collar positioned on the bolt; a bolt handle projecting outward from the bolt handle collar to be grasped by a user seeking to cause one of forward and rearward movement of the bolt within the receiver and the receiver ring; means for locking the bolt handle in an upward position so that the bolt handle will not contact a rearward portion of the receiver during forward movement of the bolt and for unlocking the bolt handle from the upward position after the bolt handle has cleared the rearward position of the receiver; at least one locking lug slot located within the inner bolt sleeve; wherein the locking lug slot is concave; at least one locking lug having an upper portion and a lower projection wherein the upper portion is dimensioned to be retained within a cavity in the outer bolt sleeve and wherein the lower projection is dimensioned to be mounted within the locking lug slot; wherein the lower projection is convex; wherein the upper portion is dimensioned to contact a mating recessed area within the receiver ring during axial movement of the inner bolt sleeve relative to the outer bolt sleeve; means for preventing full forward movement of the bolt within the receiver and the receiver ring when the upper portion of the at least one locking lug is not present within the cavity in the outer bolt sleeve; and means for holding the bolt handle in a downward firing position within the bolt handle opening.
The foregoing and other objects, features, and advantages of the invention will be apparent from the following, more particular, description of the preferred embodiments of the invention, as illustrated in the accompanying drawings.